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Integrative Liberal Studies  

Topical Clusters

The list of current Topical Clusters and the courses that comprise them, and the cluster coordinators can be found on the Topical Clusters page. If you would like to develop a new Topical Cluster, review the criteria the ILS Cluster Committee will use to determine approval, and complete the application form.

If you teach a course that you believe may fit well as part of an existing cluster, simply contact the Coordinator for that cluster to discuss it. The Cluster Oversight Committee will approve the addition of a course as long the cluster coordinator of the impacted cluster forwards to the committee a statement of assurance as to the following: 

  • the cluster coordinator and cluster faculty approve of the addition,
  • the instructor of the course is willing to include the shared cluster statement in the syllabus,
  • the instructor of the course is willing to attend called meetings of the cluster faculty, and
  • the instructor of the course is willing to participate in the cluster assessment program.

If a faculty member desires to remove a course from a cluster, the committee will approve this as long as the cluster coordinator of the impacted cluster forwards to the committee a statement of assurance as to the following: 

  • the cluster faculty were informed of the removal of the course,
  • if the course that is being removed served as the only ILSN or ILSS course in the cluster, a replacement course has been selected to add to the cluster, and
  • if the course that is being removed served as the only ILSN or ILSS course in the cluster without a prerequisite, a replacement course has been selected to add to the cluster. 

Overview

What Topical Clusters encompass
An ILS Topical Cluster is a set of courses that investigates a topic from the perspective of multiple disciplines and divisions. In proposing a Topical Cluster, faculty should make sure that the topic of the cluster is clearly defined. Each course within a Topical Cluster must investigate that topic to a degree that enables students and faculty to make frequent cross-disciplinary connections with other courses in the Topical Cluster.

Students take at least three courses from one Topical Cluster, totaling 9 semester hours or more. Within a Topical Cluster, the courses that a student chooses to apply toward the Topical Cluster requirement must have different prefixes. Of these three courses, one must be designated as ILSN (ILS Natural Science) and one as ILSS (ILS Social Science). In proposing a Topical Cluster, faculty should make sure that the topic of the cluster is clearly defined. Each course within a Topical Cluster must investigate that topic to a degree that enables students and faculty to make frequent cross-disciplinary connections with other courses in the Topical Cluster.

At a minimum, a Topical Cluster must include three courses, totaling nine semester hours or more, with at least one ILSN and one ILSS course without prerequisites; additional courses may have prerequisites. An ILSA or Arts course may appear in a Topical Cluster, but this is not required. For courses with multiple sections, it is not necessary that all sections be included in a Topical Cluster. In such cases, the faculty member(s) whose section is included in the topical cluster must be indicated.

If justified, a section of a course may be included in more than one Topical Cluster but may not appear in more than three.  The exception is ENVR 130, which will appear in four clusters. Liberal Studies Colloquia may not be included in Topical Clusters. Courses offered with HUM prefixes may appear in Topical Clusters but do not count for the three or more required Topical Cluster courses.

Topical Clusters are approved for a three-year period, at which time participating faculty may apply for renewal. It is expected that some Topical Clusters will be renewed repeatedly and be available indefinitely. Within each Topical Cluster, at least one ILSN course without prerequisites and one ILSS course without prerequisites must be offered at least once every academic year. In order to cultivate connections between courses, it is expected that faculty who teach in a Topical Cluster will meet regularly to discuss the ways in which their courses address the topic of the Topical Cluster.

ILSN Courses

At least half of an ILSN course must be devoted to either the perspective of the natural sciences or the investigation of the implications of scientific knowledge or scientific methodology. ILSN courses will have a natural science prefix (ASTR, ATMS, BIOL, CHEM, ENVR, PHYS) and must be at least three credit hours. Science courses used as the ILSN in a cluster cannot also be used for the laboratory science and vice versa.

ILSS Courses

At least half of an ILSS course must be devoted to either the implications of social institutions or the methods and worldviews of the social sciences. Most ILSS courses will be offered in the social sciences, although other departments may offer courses which receive ILSS designation. ILSS courses must be at least three credit hours.

ILSA Courses

ILSA courses taken as part of a Topical Cluster must consider not only the particular subject matter of the Topical Cluster, but also the broader human context of the arts. ILSA Topical Cluster courses will consider such issues as communication through the arts, aesthetic values, the political, cultural, and historical context of the arts, and/or the role of the audience in the arts. It is not required that each Topical Cluster include an ILSA course.

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. As a result of completing an ILS topical cluster, students should be able to effectively display knowledge of multiple disciplines by identifying the different theoretical concepts and frameworks in the disciplines in their cluster. 
  2. As a result of completing an ILS topical cluster, students should be able to effectively display knowledge of how multiple disciplines address shared concepts reflecting the cluster theme.
  3. As a result of completing an ILS topical cluster, students should be able to develop an understanding of multidisciplinary perspectives within the context of individual cluster courses. 

Other Useful Links

Deadlines for Clusters and Intensives

To have a course considered for Spring 2012:
Proposals should be received by Sept. 16, 2011.

To have a course considered for Fall 2012:
Proposals should be received by Feb. 10, 2012.

To have a course considered for Spring 2013:
Proposals should be received by Sept. 21, 2012.

Last edited by ashope@unca.edu on February 1, 2012